


Camp Patience

by orphan_account



Category: GOT7
Genre: Camping, Fluff, M/M, Smut, Youngjae is older. Like late 20s, other kpop idols in minor roles, past homophobia (mainly in the first chapter), past mark/jinyoung, team building activities
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-10
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-11-15 00:13:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18062885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: This is a story that I wrote back in 2016, but I'm editing/re-writing it because I feel like my writing has improved a lot since then and I'd like to finish it.Mark hates his job after becoming infamous at his workplace without even trying. Jackson is the boss's favorite employee: hard-working, loyal, and displaying an unnecessary amount of devotion to the company. Youngjae is the boss. He is well-meaning but easily swindled by every new management trend and fad; which is what leads to the employees of the Geode Electricity call centre going on the worst team building camp that anybody has ever seen.





	Camp Patience

**Author's Note:**

> I had a lot of fun writing this story at the time. It's honestly amazing to me how many people left nice comments even though my grammar was terrible and I barely edited anything and I was just starting out at writing. It meant a lot to me. Ur the best, Got7 fandom.
> 
> I haven't been keeping up with what got7 have been up to much since early 2017, but then two weeks ago I randomly watched some Jackson interviews and I felt like I was in love with him all over again. Now I'm in just as deep as I was when I wrote this the first time. Recc me cool stuff I've missed in the comments if you want (tv appearances, performances, etc)

News travels fast. Which is something Mark Tuan knew all too well. It was a small thing really, when Mark slept with his co-worker Jinyoung. He never expected how much it would change things. The change wasn’t between him and Jinyoung, that relationship remained uncomplicated. It was just a casual hook-up after all. However, going to work at the Geode Electricity call centre would never be the same again.

He couldn't blame Jinyoung, he never saw it coming either. But when Jinyoung innocently told his friend about their encounter, about how he would have never expected such a thing from quiet, reserved Mark, and how Mark had told him this kind of thing wasn’t even rare for him (Jinyoung also went into some more explicit detail, but that doesn't need to be mentioned), it just spread like wildfire from there. It was like everybody at their workplace suddenly knew.

The way that everybody at Geode behaved around them was never the same after that, which seemed harder for Jinyoung to deal with than it was for Mark. Mark was used to keeping to himself. Yeah, he liked having friends at work, but it wasn't as necessary to him as it was for some people. At the end of the day, he just wanted to do his job, get paid, and go home in peace. That was what he told himself as he watched people he regularly sat next to begin to distance themselves from him.

People weren't vicious—outside of a few hurtful and ignorant comments—but they kept their distance. It was like he simultaneously became the most invisible and the most visible person in the room; always talked about, but never talked to.

There were some co-workers who weren’t even prejudiced themselves, but they avoided him all the same; hoping to avoid the controversy, or the assumptions others might make if they were seen hanging out with him.

Luckily for Mark, Yugyeom liked people who were a bit controversial. Just as Mark had gotten used to sitting alone and not speaking to his co-workers, Yugyeom sat down at the computer next to him. He proceeded to sit next to Mark every day after that.

Yugyeom was younger than Mark, which did show sometimes. Especially in the things he would do to entertain himself when he got bored. This could range from flicking his pen on the desk annoyingly, to putting a tablespoon of salt in somebody's coffee while they were away from their computer. He was that rare kind of loveable person who could get away with stuff like that, in part because he was the youngest employee, the baby of the team.

Mark’s new status as the most gossiped about person in the office resulted in the most uncomfortable meeting with the boss of his young life. Youngjae was a fairly good man. He didn’t judge or discriminate against them. But he was still a manager, and his main focus would always be making his team run smoothly. He said he could tell that people's reactions to what the Mark and Jinyoung had done had created an unhappy work environment for the pair, and effectively alienated them from the rest of the team. He wanted to assure them that he would bring an end to people excluding or being rude to them. He also wanted to assure them, somewhat naively, that they were part of an awesome team. Mark tried to resist the urge to roll his eyes.

At the end of his speech, Youngjae added that he’d decided on a new rule that he would soon be informing everybody of: No romance between colleagues. It wasn't to punish anybody, he explained, but to protect them.

Jinyoung quit two days later. When Mark texted him about it, Jinyoung said that the situation just wasn't worth it to him. He couldn't handle going to work and feeling like everybody was watching him.

Youngjae was a man of his word, and Mark did notice people’s behaviour toward him gradually improve. The employees who had been outwardly hostile to Mark soon stopped coming to work. He didn't ask why, but he could assume it was Youngjae’s doing.

Maybe he was becoming old news, and his co-workers just didn't care anymore. He didn’t care about _them_ anymore either. He stuck by Yugyeom’s side and maintained a civil but distant relationship with the rest. Work was a place for working, and not much else.

 

Mark leaned forward in his chair, typing a customer’s full name into the database as they spelled it for him over the phone.

"So, I'm just bringing up your details now. It looks like the money that was deducted from your account was due to the payment plan you agreed to in order to cover that overdue bill—”

He was cut off by the customer angrily and lengthily reiterating that Geode Electricity had no reason to take money from his account. Mark lowered the volume on his headset slightly as the man raised his voice.

“I can explain if you…” Mark began, hopelessly trying to get a word in between the man’s tantrum. “Yes, I'm trying explain that the…  It says on our system that you agreed to a payment plan… No I wou—… No I wouldn't lie to you sir… Yes this is definitely Geode Electricity… He would just… I understand that sir and you can talk to him if you like but he'll just tell you the same thing I'm telling you… That's tota—… That's totally fine Sir, I'll just transfer you through to him, please hold".

Mark couldn't slam the hold button fast enough. Yugyeom was making a face at him, but was quickly interrupted by receiving a customer of his own.

Mark entered the code into the phone to dial Youngjae. He adjusted his headset while it rang with that annoying hold music that had become way too familiar.

"Hello, Youngjae's phone. How can I help you, Mark?" Mark was confused by the unexpected voice at the other end.

"…Who am I speaking to? Where's Youngjae?" He asked.

"This is Jackson. Youngjae had to get something from his car and put me in charge of his phone while he's gone. What can I help you with?"

"I've got this customer who wasn't expecting the deduction from their payment plan and they really want to talk to the manager. They’re pissed off," Mark explained.

There was a short pause before Jackson said: "Ok, put them through to me".

"But you aren't the manager. Won't Youngjae be back soon?" He swivelled around in his chair to see Jackson sitting within the see-through walls of the managers area. Their eyes met.

"I'm the manager while he's gone, it's like—" He was interrupted by Youngjae entering the area with a bulky folder in his hands. "Youngjae's back, I'll let him know" Jackson said disappointedly before putting Mark back on hold. Mark watched Jackson explain the situation to Youngjae, then YoungJae put his headset on.

"That's fine Mark, transfer them through."

"Thank you." Mark hit the transfer button and the customer was gone.

Mark waited until Yugyeom was finished with his call to get his attention. "It's pretty funny, Jackson was playing manager while Youngjae was getting something from his car."

"What, how?" Asked Yugyeom, looking back toward the manager’s area—which often contained Jackson despite him not being a manager. Although Jackson regularly did more than was required of him, his job rank was technically the same as Mark and Yugyeom.

"He answered Youngjae's phone and was trying to get me to transfer a customer who wanted the manager through to him; even though Youngjae was coming back any moment."

"That'd be like... his dream".

"Yeah, but then Youngjae came back right before I put the customer through to him."

"Oh no," he said sympathetically, despite his giggles. "You dangled his dream in front of him then took it away."

Mark shook his head with a slight smile then got back to work. He didn't want anybody to notice they were distracting each other.

Neither of them necessarily disliked Jackson, though Mark wouldn’t call them friends either. Jackson was popular around the office, but certain aspects of him kind of irked Mark. They liked to joke about it sometimes. Maybe it was mean, but having a laugh at the expense of his co-workers made getting through the day a little easier.

 

They kept working until that evening, when a message unexpectedly appeared on everybody's computer screen. It told them to finish up what they were doing, log off their phones, and report to the manager's section for a team meeting. Nobody knew what was going on, but obeyed anyway.

Gradually, every employee gathered at the manager's section and chattered about what this was about. Even Jackson said he didn't know, which was a surprise.

"Is that everybody?" Asked Youngjae, looking around. There didn't seem to be anybody left at the computers. He looked back, probably noticing the uneasy faces of his employees. "Hey, don't worry guys, it's nothing bad," He reassured with a smile. "So, as you know, I'm really proud to lead such a great team. Each and every one of you plays an important role in this company, and as a manager, it's my responsibility to do everything in my power to help all of you be the best you can be." He fumbled through the folder he was holding to pull out a stack of papers. "That's why I have some really exciting news".

Mark groaned, but only loud enough that Yugyeom noticed. Mark had been working for Youngjae long enough to know that exciting news was not something to look forward to. What Youngjae found exciting usually became what made Mark's work-life hard and uncomfortable.

"I know," Yugyeom agreed sympathetically.

Youngjae was well meaning, but not grounded. While trying so hard to be the best manager, he got swept up by every new trend and idea. He was extremely susceptible to every new pop-psychology pseudoscience management technique on offer. Most recently he had moved everybody's desks so that they were sitting in a circle to increase productivity. It did not.

"I read an article about this new team building and personal development camp. I got so moved by some of the stories that I honestly teared up a bit. The camp has helped many teams just like ours make personal and professional strides that are literally life changing." He handed the pile of papers to Jackson to pass around to everybody. It was a printout with Camp Patience written in big letters across the top. Mark cringed as he saw the logo: A group of office workers holding hands and smiling, surrounded by trees. "It seems like it would be lots of fun, but also, it could be just the thing to transform our teamwork and make us even better."

"Is this mandatory?" An employee asked hesitantly after reading the paper—which stated that the camp would go for an entire week. The others looked at Youngjae expectantly, like the question they were all wondering had been asked.

"No, I'm not going to force you. It's a great opportunity for this team though, and it'd be a shame if you missed it."

Mark felt slight guilt over how he and probably almost everybody else wasn't going to go. Youngjae so genuinely believed in what he was saying and had all the best intentions. Unfortunately, no amount of good intentions could outweigh Mark’s overwhelming desire to not be stuck in the middle of nowhere with nobody but his colleagues, doing team building activities.

“The call centre will be closed for the week of the camp and our calls will be diverted to our other branch. If you don’t come to the camp, you’ll still be paid. But if you do choose to go, not only will it show me that you are committed to Geode Electricity, but as an incentive you’ll get paid for all of the time you spend at camp, excluding meal breaks and sleeping. It’ll be as if you’re getting paid overtime to have fun with friends and grow—as an individual and a team."

Mark shook his head then looked to Yugyeom, whose eyes held something Mark couldn't interpret. There was a silence over the group while they processed the information.

Jackson eagerly read through the printout. "This is going to be so good," he said enthusiastically. "Great idea, Youngjae".

Youngjae smiled. "I hope everybody else is similarly excited. There’s a form attached to the back page. If you decide you want to come, fill that out and give it back to me tomorrow." He paused and looked back at the clock. "By the time you all log back into your phones it would be time to go anyway. You can all just turn your computers off and go."

Everybody walked back to their desks and did as he told them. Yugyeom turned to Mark as he finished shutting down his computer. "Are you gonna go?" He asked.

"You’re joking, right?”

Yugyeom didn’t reply.

Mark furrowed his brows slightly. “Are you?"

"Like… possibly? I'd definitely consider it. I hate team building stuff just as much as you, but I could really use the extra money."

This wasn’t what Mark was expecting, but he understood Yugyeom’s choice. Mainly he felt sorry for what his friend would have to go through. They made their way to the exit.

"You gotta do what you gotta do, I guess.”

The clammy, humid weather outside contrasted sharply with the cool, crisp office environment. Spending so much time in air conditioning could almost make you forget that it was the middle of summer. The walk to the carpark was a sharp reminder.

They looked for Mark’s car together, as Yugyeom carpooled with him whenever their shifts lined up. "It’s going to be a _lot_ ," Yugyeom said exasperatedly, dragging a hand down his face.

“Yeah, I don’t envy you. But you’ll get through it. Just keep thinking about the money.”

Yugyeom nodded hesitantly and was silent until they reached the car.

Mark's attempt to open the door to the driver's seat was interrupted by Yugyeom inserting himself in front of him: puppy-dog eyes on and hands clasped together in prayer. Mark hoped wasn't about to ask what he thought he was about to ask.

"Mark, please. Don't make me go alone," Yugyeom pleaded.

"I'm not making you do anything," said Mark, avoiding looking at his face, not wanting to be weakened by it. Mark tried to open the door again and Yugyeom stepped out of the way, walking around to enter the passenger's side.

Mark started the car, air conditioning blasting their faces immediately. They drove out of the carpark in silence.

Yugyeom was looking at him, hoping to get his attention, but Mark used the premise of having to watch the road to ignore it. "Please?" Yugyeom finally said. Mark sighed.

"I know it sucks that you have to go alone. I feel you. And you can call me every night while you’re there if you need somebody to vent to. But I really really _really_ don't want to go. I don’t think there’s anything I’d like to do less on this earth."

"You don't want that extra money?" Yugyeom asked, trying to tempt him.

"Seems like an ok price to pay to not have to go on that camp."

Luckily, Yugyeom left the topic alone, and instead started playing around on his phone. Mark was able to drive in peace, but only until the next time they stopped at a red light. Yugyeom practically shoved his phone in Mark’s face. "Do what you want, but I just want you to know that this is how much money you’re depriving yourself of."

Mark squinted at the number in the calculator app. "That can't be right." He shifted his eyes back to the road.

"Yes it is!" Yugyeom whined. "Have you even looked at the printout they gave us? It tells you how many hours we'll be paid for. It works out to a lot of money."

Mark lightly pursed his lips. He didn’t want to be swayed, but Yugyeom was right, that really was a lot of money.

"It wouldn't be so bad. We could just stick to each other the entire time, do camping stuff, laugh at people doing embarrassing team building activities—"

"We would also _be_ the ones doing the embarrassing team building activities" Mark interrupted.

"We’d get through it. It's not like we haven't had to do them at the office before, basically for free."

Yugyeom had a point, no matter how much Mark didn't want him too. They stopped at another red light and Mark fixed his hair with his fingers—which had become somewhat of a habit when he was stressed. When he met Yugyeom’s hopeful eyes he knew he could tell that his defences were crumbling.

"If I do go…" Yugyeom's eyes lit up as those words left Mark's lips. "Would you promise to stick around me and not leave like, ever, while we're there? Because I can deal with these people, but not when they are my only human contact and I'm stranded in the woods."

"Why would I make you come all the way out and then just ditch you? Trust me, we'll get through the camp together and it'll be fine, maybe we’ll even have fun," Yugyeom reassured.

Mark sighed then paused, almost like he was putting off what he knew he would have to say. Yugyeom watched him, wide eyed and excited.

"Ok, I'll go" Mark surrendered.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" Yugyeom hugged Mark as he kept his hands on the steering wheel and his eyes on the road, knowing that he would regret his decision.

 


End file.
